Minor inmate injuries reported in Ky. prison melee

Several buildings set ablaze by inmates during a disturbance at a central Kentucky prison continued to burn early Saturday, and some of the prisoners suffered minor injuries, police said.

No staff or officers were hurt in the disturbance at the Northpoint Training Center, a medium-security men's prison 30 miles south of Lexington.

A medical building, kitchen and other buildings were damaged in the fires, according to a news release from the Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet.

The disturbance began about 6:30 p.m. Friday, and officers moved in firing tear gas about 9 p.m., the release said. All inmates were subdued by 10:30 p.m.

Dozens of state police, corrections department officers and local police officers had been summoned.

"They've called in pretty much every available unit that can respond," said Kentucky State Police spokesman Lt. David Jude.

Jay Blanton, a spokesman for Gov. Steve Beshear, said the governor had been in constant contact with prison officials.

Northpoint has more than 1,100 general population inmates housed in six open-bay dormitories, according to its Web site. Another 60 special management inmates are housed in single cells in a separate structure, and 40 minimum-security inmates are housed in another separate structure.

It opened in 1983 and has a staff of 285.

Officials were working with the Kentucky Fire Marshal's office to determine whether the dormitories could be occupied, the release said.